From the Mail Bag:

What is wrong with This Picture?
By John Waltz

A sick reality has come to me in the last few months about the intentions of many people. It is sad that politicians are happy to parade someone around for their political whims but fail to live up to any pledge of assisting them. At the same time, politicians from other states, where even though you are not a constituent, have not only have offered to help but are also assisting in providing grants. There is a difference in saying you support something but actually doing something is ostensibly too much to ask for.

I feel I am at a crossroads where my mission to help Iraqis and our country surpasses political hang-ups. For this reason, I have summarily offered my resignations to both Vets for Freedom and Vets 4 Victory along with any groups who claim to “support” the mission in Iraq. I do not want that to be a hang up anymore or get in the way of what I am trying to do with Severus Worldwide.

Secondly, I am absolutely sick of "pro-mission" Congressman and Senators who talk a good talk but have no desire to follow through. It seems to me they have an elitist issue where there selfish political desires are far more important that our country.

This has been a tough decision for me but I would rather hold on to my integrity and morals rather than being continually treated as a bottom feeder. I believe that any disabled veteran who is willing to stand up and tackle a mission that will benefit our country should be supported, but I guess even that is a delusion.

The fundamental issue that is plaguing America is the fact that we view life by means of a static approach and desire our lives to be divided by either black or white in an attempt to package everything in a tidy box. This utterly ignores the gray area that we really live in and excludes any chance of redemption or change. Reality is that after five years of the US invasion we have thrown a trillion dollars at a problem without any idea how to fix it. This is no better than throwing kindling into a fire while wondering why we are not able to secure the stabilization of Iraq.

No matter what happens in this year’s election, eventually America will leave Iraq but in what condition we must beseech our conscience. Many individuals have concluded with my organization that it will be the non-governmental organizations that will provide the nation building and healing that is needed. In conclusion, I take the six major points of A Responsible Plan as the best solution to the quagmire we face in Iraq:

End U.S. military action in Iraq:

There is no military solution in Iraq. Our current course unacceptably holds U.S. strategic fortunes hostage to events in Iraq that are beyond our control; we must change course. Using diplomatic, political, and economic power, we can responsibly end the war and remove all of our troops from Iraq.

Using U.S. diplomatic power:

Much of the remaining work to be completed in Iraq requires the effective use of diplomatic power. Many of Iraq's neighbors are currently contributing to instability and need to be persuaded to assist instead in stabilization.

Addressing humanitarian concerns:

The humanitarian crisis caused by Iraq's situation is destabilizing to the region and damaging to America's moral credibility. We must both take responsibility for the Iraqis who are now endangered because of their assistance to the U.S. and begin to address the regional problems of displaced Iraqis.

Restoring our Constitution:

Many mistakes were made in the course of this war, and our systems of checks and balances have failed us at critical moments. To prevent repeating those mistakes, we must repair the underlying Constitutional framework of our republic and provide checks to executive authority. Balance must be restored between the executive and the judicial branch (for instance through the restoration of habeas corpus), between the executive and the legislative branch (for instance through clarifying that the President does not have the Constitutional authority to unilaterally alter legislation through signing statements), and between the executive and the people of the United States (for instance by clarifying that the Fourth Amendment requires probable cause and a warrant for the government to spy on Americans).

Restoring our military:

Repairing the damage done to our military will require reforms in contracting procedures, restoring benefits for members of the military and veterans, and investment in repairing or replacing damaged military equipment.

The need for contracting reform is substantial. Private militias have direct incentives to prolong the conflict rather than resolve it; their use needs to be phased out. Contractors must be legally accountable for their actions. War profiteering must be stopped, and those who have engaged in it need to answer for their actions.

The safety of our men and women in uniform requires that we adhere to international standards with respect to treatment of prisoners. We must also make it clear that the United States does not torture, and that we do not send people to other places to be tortured, either.

The military is having substantial difficulty with recruiting and retention; we could begin to help by delivering on more of the promises the original Montgomery G.I. Bill made and by delivering on our promises regarding healthcare for veterans.

Restoring independence to the media:

The consolidation of our news media into the control of a relatively few corporate entities stifled a full and fair discussion and debate around Iraq. A more robust debate could be encouraged by expanding access to media.

Creating a new, U.S.-centered energy policy:

Finally, we are clearly tied to Iraq through our dependence on oil, which makes us vulnerable. Moving away from that dependence is necessary for strategic, economic, and environmental reasons.